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comScore M:Metrics: Photo Messages Set to Edge Out Postcards as Photo Messaging Heats Up in the Summer
Wednesday 09. July 2008 - Photo Messaging Climbed 60 Percent in the United States During the Past Year
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the latest figures from the M:Metrics Benchmark Study which reports that photo messaging from mobile phones has grown 60 percent in the United States over the past year and 16 percent in Europe, where photo messaging got an earlier start. As the mercury climbs in the summer months, so does the usage of photo messaging in the United States, where for the past three years, photo messaging rates have been higher than average in July and August.
“Summer vacations provide the perfect context for photo messaging, as the utility of instantly sharing a holiday moment with loved ones is undeniably compelling,” commented Mark Donovan, senior vice president, comScore Mobile Products. “The cameraphone could replace the postcard as the preferred mode to say ‘wish you were here,’ as even parents and grandparents are snapping and sending photos from their mobile devices.”
Mobile Photo Messaging Usage by Seasonal Index
Summer 2007
Total U.S. and Europe
Source: comScore M:Metrics*
United States Europe**
July 103 100
August 112 107
*Survey of mobile subscribers. Data are seasonal index calculations of monthly usage of photo messaging. These figures compare monthly consumption averages against the annual average with 100 representing average.
**Includes France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and U.K.
In Europe, where photo messaging is more mature, usage rates are more consistent throughout the year, rising only slightly in summer. From 2006 to 2007, the rate of photo messaging use in Europe during the month of July was average and in August, 7 percent higher than average. Instead, usage spikes during December, as families share Christmas holiday celebrations and send photos from their newly acquired phones. The same phenomenon is also observed in the United States, where photo messaging is also higher in December than it is in an average month.
The M:Metrics Benchmark Study indicates that the photo messaging growth in the U.S. is coming from all age demographic segments, with the fastest growth coming from teens and those older than 35. In the more developed European market, the strongest growth is coming from those aged 55 years and older.
Percentage Growth of Mobile Subscribers Using Photo Messaging by Age
April 2008
Total U.S. and Europe
Source: comScore M:Metrics*
Age United States Europe**
13-17 68% 13%
18-24 55% 8%
25-34 53% 16%
35-44 63% 15%
45-54 73% 17%
55+ 67% 36%
Total 60% 16%
*Survey of mobile subscribers. Data based on three-month moving average for period ending April 30, 2007 to the three-month period ending April 30, 2008
**Includes France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and U.K.
“Cameraphones are in the hands of the majority of mobile phone users and are increasingly a part of the fabric of peoples’ lives, with 78 percent of Europeans and 66 percent of Americans owning a cameraphone today,” said Donovan. “Photo messaging rates have risen steadily month over month with nearly a quarter of all American mobile phone users and about a third of Europeans sending or receiving photos in April.”
comScore M:Metrics applies trusted media measurement methodologies to assess the audience for mobile content and applications, delivering the most accurate mobile market metrics through the world’s largest monthly survey of mobile subscribers as well as automated data collection methodologies. Below are the findings of its April 2008 Benchmark Survey.
M:Metrics Benchmark Study
April 2008
Total U.S. and Europe
Source: comScore M:Metrics*
US EU FR DE IT ES UK
Total mobile
subscribers
Age 13+ (MM) 226 224 46.5 49 47 34 47.5
Sent/received
photos or videos 23.9% 27.6% 24.7% 20.6% 31.9% 31.1% 30.7%
Listened to music 7.9% 18.5% 16.7% 17.7% 15.6% 22.9% 20.7%
Accessed news/info
via browser 14.4% 9.6% 10.3% 5.4% 8.0% 7.4% 16.4%
Received SMS ads 19.1% 49.3% 63.0% 28.5% 54.0% 72.5% 36.2%
Played downloaded
game 9.1% 8.4% 4.4% 7.5% 8.9% 11.7% 10.2%
Accessed downloaded
application 5.0% 3.0% 1.6% 2.6% 4.2% 2.9% 3.4%
Watched video 6.3% 9.1% 7.2% 6.1% 11.3% 12.6% 9.5%
Purchased ringtones 9.3% 3.6% 3.7% 3.1% 3.7% 4.4% 3.2%
Used email 13.1% 8.6% 6.5% 6.7% 11.5% 9.4% 9.4%
Accessed social
networking sites 5.2% 2.9% 2.2% 1.5% 2.8% 2.8% 5.3%
*Survey of mobile subscribers. Data based on three-month moving average for period ending 30th April 2008, mobile subscribers in France, n = 13,570 Germany, n = 15,202; Italy, n = 13,575; Spain, n = 12,160; United Kingdom, n = 15,282; United States, n = 32,931